Bada Rice Terraces - Best Spot for Yuanyang Rice Terraces Sunset and Panorama View

Many photographers said “For a traveler, if you don’t go to Yuanyang and Yuanyang will be sad for you; for a photographer, if you don’t go to Yuanyang and God will be sad for you”. Every traveler come to Yuanyang for the Hani Rice Terraces and come to Bada Rice Terraces for the magnificent SUNSET.

Bada Rice Terraces, a part of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, was listed as World Heritage Site in 2013. The 950-hectare Bada Rice Terraces is like the ladders to the heaven with over 3700 levels, rising up from 800 meters to 2000 meters. Hence, the words “Vast”, “Magnificent”, “Beautiful Curved Lines” and “Stereoscopic” can be used to describe Bada Rice Terraces. There are some villages including Quanfuzhuang, Malizhai, Bada, Shangmadian surrounded by the rice terraces and travelers can have panoramic view of the beautiful villages when shooting the rice paddies.

The words “Magnificent”, “Spectacular”, “Grand” cannot express “Bada Rice Terraces” fully. At the dusk, when the sun shines on the 950 hectares rice paddies rising from 800 meters to 2000 meters, the magnificent scene forms, like the latters toward heaven. In the winter time after autumn harvest, the rice terraces are filled with water and when sunset glow shines upon the paddies, the 3700 level terraces first turns pink, then rosy and later dark red, pink, golden and white….The sea of clouds over Bada Rice Terraces add more mysterious feel and when standing on the top of the rice paddies and looking down and around, you only have to say “This is the most spectacular rice paddies I have ever seen”. That’s the magic of Bada Rice Terraces.

Bada Rice Terraces has two viewing decks that offer views at similar heights but different lateral perspectives. One viewing platform faces the sun directly and when you take pictures of the rice paddies, the ridges of the rice terraces line in vertical scene. While, the other viewing platform offers side view of the spectacular rice paddies. There is a footpath from the first viewing deck leading to the second viewing deck. Travelers or photographers can try both locations to photograph amazing pictures.

The sun goes down during 18:00~20:00. In the spring time (March to May), it is usually during 19:10~19:50, in summer (June to August) at 19:25~19:57, in autumn (September to November) at 18:20~19:26 and in winter (December to February) at 18:20~19:11. If you are professional photographers, you’d better get to Bada Rice Terraces at 16:00 and find a good location for some great pictures with rice terraces, sea of clouds, Hani villages and sunset.

Travelers can come all the year round and for photographers, the best time is from November to March of next year.

Bada Rice Terraces Tickets

Bada Rice Terraces is one of the major areas inside the whole Yuanyang Rice Terraces. There is no separate ticket offered to Bada Rice Terraces. Tourists are required to get there with the ticket for the entire Yuanyang Rice Terraces. The ticket is vilid for several days. Days varies according to different types of ticket you are booked.

Ticket One: It is valid for 3 days. It is 100 Yuan for per person, including four scenic spots Jingkou Folk Village, Bada Rice Terraces, Duoyishu Rice Terraces and Laohuzui Rice Terraces (Tiger Mouth Rice Terraces).

Ticket Two: It is valid for 10 days. It is 180 Yuan for per person, including four scenic spots Jingkou Folk Village, Bada Rice Terraces, Duoyishu Rice Terraces and Laohuzui Rice Terraces (Tiger Mouth Rice Terraces).

Ticket Three: It belongs to annual ticket which is valid for one year. It is about 360 Yuan per person, including four scenic spots Jingkou Folk Village, Bada Rice Terraces, Duoyishu Rice Terraces and Laohuzui Rice Terraces (Tiger Mouth Rice Terraces).

Bada Rice Terraces Accommodation

To travel Bada Rice Terraces and whole Yuanyang Rice Terraces in ease and convenience, tourists prefer to stay at hotels inside the scenic area. The villages near Duoyishu, another major part of Yuanyang Rice Terraces, are usually the best choices, because the hotels there are closer to the viewing desks for stunning sunrise!

Check more about Where to Stay at Yuanyang Rice Terraces >>

Bada Rice Terraces of Yuanyang Rice Terraces is located in the mountains of Yunnan, about 375km south of Yunnan’s capital - Kunming and 16km from Xinjie Town (新街镇), the gateway of whole Yuanyang Rice Terraces.

Kunming to Bada Rice Terraces

Travelers can take a private car to Bada Rice Terraces in about 5~5.5 hours. If you prefer going with coach, you can find about 3 daily coaches at Kunming South Coach Terminal. However, these coaches will not take you to Bata or Yuanyang Rice Terraces directly, but will drop you off at Xinjie Town.

Xinjie Town to Bada Rice Terraces

From Xinjie Town, you are required to go further south to the scenic area with a private car or minivans of locals. The car ride takes half an hour around.

Bada Rice Terraces to Other Areas of Yuanyang Rice Terraces

In such a remote area of Yuanyang, there is no taxi for you to get around. And if you want to go from one terraces area to another, you can go by local minivans or hiking. Most of the scenic spots are 8-10km apart from each other. The minibuses charge about CNY 5~15 each time.

Distances from Other Scenic Spots of Yuanyang

● About 2.7 kilometers from Duoyishu Rice Terrace

● About 5 kilometers from Laohuzui Rice Terrace

It is better to arrange three days in Yuanyang to visit several scenic spots of Yuanyang Rice Terraces including Bada Rice Terraces, Duoyishu Rice Terraces, Laohuzui Rice Terraces and Jingkou Folk Villages, Hani Ethnic Market in Shengcun, etc. For most travelers, you arrange your schedules as following:

Day 1: Arrive in Yuanyang in the morning or at noon and first pay a visit to Jinkou Folk Village, and then view the rice paddies on the road to Laohuzui (Tiger Month) Rice Terrace, shoot the amazing Sunset of Laohuzui Rice Terraces. Get back to your hotel in Xinjie Old Town or Duoyishu Rice Terraces.

Day 2: Get up early in the morning and reach the viewing platform of Duoyishu Rice Terraces and watch the sunrise over the villages and have a walk around Duoyishu Rice Terraces like Huangcaoling Spot. Head to Shengcun to attend the Hani ethnic market to explore authentic local life of Hani people. Later, get to Bada Rice Terraces to catch the sea of clouds and sunset view. After the amazing day, get back to your hotel in Xinjin Old Town.

Day 3: In this morning, have a walk to get into Longshuba Rice Terraces and some local villages nearby. After the tour, get back to Kunming from Yuanyang.

>> 4 Days Yuanyang Rice Terrace Photography Tour (Kunming / Yuanyang / Kunming)

Some visitors always chose to stay about 4~5 days, because they prefer to relax and enjoy, not to rush though the sites. During their Yuanyang Rice Terraces tour, they will give them more times to explore the villages and just sock in the scenery!

>> 5 Days Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Rice Terraces Tour (Kunming/Yuanyang/Jianshui/Kunming)

Want more surprises of the diverse Yunnan? Why not extending your tour to more top destinations in one go, such as Kunming famous as Spring City and convenient province capital, Lijiang to meet the best ancient town, mountain and gorge, Dali with profound Dali Old Town and splendid Erhai Lake, Xishuangbanna with exciting tropical flavor and Dai ethnic dances, etc., which usually needs 6-15 days based on your exploration depth!

>> 11 Days Amazing Yunnan Tour (Kunming/Yuanyang/Jianshui/Dali/ Lijiang/Shangri-La)

Want to visit Bada Rice Terraces but feel trouble about its poor traffic condition? Travel with China Discovery and let us do you a favor! We have convenient private car that will take you to/go back from Yuanyang in speed, ease and convenience! Our English-speaking guide will accompany you all the way and introduce you the best visiting route and photography time and spots of Yuanyang Rice Terraces!

The tour can be tailor-made according to your group size, time, physical condition, plan, interests, budget and other special need. Please feel free to contact us if you need any help or customize the tour with free quotation!